Mahajan to sue Jaya
Sends missive to AIADMK chief

NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (UNI) — The relationship between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and its main ally AIDMK touched a new low today when BJP leader Pramod Mahajan dared AIDMK supremo J. Jayalalitha to name him directly instead of making oblique references that he had taken a bribe from a newspaper baron for ensuring the transfer of Enforcement Directorate chief M.K. Bezbaruah.

"I am joining what the media described as a war of letters between the AIDMK and the BJP," Mr Mahajan told the media while refuting charges that he had taken graft and was in any way involved in the transfer of Mr Bezbaruah. He said he had faxed a letter to Ms Jayalalitha today regarding the same.

On Ms Jayalalitha’s charge that he had met officials of the newspaper group involved in FERA violations, Mr Mahajan said during the past four months he had met almost all senior officials, editors and owners of main newspapers but this issue had not figured.

"I request that instead of beating around the bush, you should name me through a signed document so that I can take appropriate legal action," he said, referring to the reply of Ms Jayalalitha to the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary yesterday.

In a two-paged letter, copies of which were circulated among the mediapersons, Mr Mahajan said she had indirectly harmed his reputation rather than directly levelling charges.

Mr Mahajan would file a defamation suit against the AIDMK general secretary shortly after receiving the reply.

Asked what he would do if she did not reply, he quipped: "It means her charges are baseless."

In reply to a question whether his letter would further worsen ties with the AIDMK, Mr Mahajan as far as he was concerned, there was a limit to tolerance even in politics and there was no price for self-respect. "Enough is enough", he said.

He had no option but to go to the courts since nobody could stop anybody from making defamatory statements, Mr Mahajan said.

In reply to a question whether he had consulted the party leadership before sending the missive to the AIDMK leader, he said he had consulted those who should have been taken into confidence.

Asked why he was insisting on a signed document, Mr Mahajan said that his counsel was of the view that the said letter was 80 per cent fit for filing a case but it was better to have a written document.

Facing a volley of questions regarding his meeting with a senior official of the newspaper in question, he said "in politics, people facing FERA violation charges — come to you or some time you have to go to them."

He said he was not scared of any investigation into the matter by any agency, but wondered whether it was a fit case of investigation on the basis of adverse inference, saying the matter would merit attention if the said paper had alleged the same.

Mr Mahajan, however, did not visualise any threat to the A.B. Vajpayee government in the wake of withdrawal of support by the AIADMK, saying that "I am more interested in continuance of the government and it will continue in any case".

Asked how long this war of attrition would continue and charges would traded, a visibly agitated Mr Mahajan said the situation would be tolerated to the "maximum extent possible".

Mr Mahajan said in his letter he had made clear to the AIDMK supremo that though she had not mentioned him by name, through her description she had thrown ample hints of "having me in her mind while making the charge."

Jaya’s allies not for withdrawal

CHENNAI, Aug 20 (UNI) — The All-India Anna DMK (AIADMK)-led front in Tamil Nadu, together commanding 27 MPs, may be on the verge of a collapse on the issue of continued support to the Vajpayee-led government at the Centre, front sources indicated.

Three of the constituents — Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), Marumalarchi DMK (MDMK) and the Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress (TRC) — have expressed their disapproval of any move to withdraw support to the Vajpayee government although on August 13, they had authorised AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalitha to take "an appropriate decision at the appropriate time."

The already soured relations between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the AIADMK reached a nadir when Ms Jayalalitha made the astounding allegation that persons close to the Prime Minister had taken bribes to transfer Enforcement Director M.K. Bezbaruah. She added insult to injury by ordering a low-level party functionary to dash off a reply to Mr Vajpayee’s letter, sent by the Principal Secretary, seeking proof for the allegation.

With the relationship between the AIADMK and the Vajpayee government reaching a point of no return and the southern ally entertaining leaders of other parties who had vowed to bring down the government, it is almost a wait and watch game, the sources said.

While the AIADMK is yet to take a decision, the only front partner who has been openly advocating the withdrawal of support and actively pursuing possibilities of forming an alternative government is Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy, the sources added.

Front sources said even at the August 13 meeting of the leaders of the AIADMK-led front at Ms Jayalalitha’s residence here, the PMK, MDMK and TRC had expressed themselves against the withdrawal of support to the Vajpayee government. However, on a suggestion by an AIADMK functionary, they had agreed, as a compromise, to authorise Ms Jayalalitha to take "an appropriate decision at the appropriate time."

Subsequently, PMK founder- leader Dr S. Ramadoss had declared that the front would continue to support the Vajpayee government and that the allies had prevailed on Ms Jayalalitha not to withdraw support, the sources said.

Union Petroleum Minister K. Ramamurthy, (TRC), while briefing mediapersons after the August 13 meeting had made known his stand by saying that there was no question of a pullout from the government. A front constituent, however, said Mr Ramamurthy was not authorised by Ms Jayalalitha to say that there was no question of a pullout.

The MDMK general secretary, Mr Vaiko was more candid when he said at Madurai yesterday that even if the AIADMK withdrew support, his party would continue in the government. He had also described Ms Jayalalitha’s allegation of bribe taking in the Bezbaruah issue as "unfortunate.

Probe in case of proof: PM

NEW DELHI, Aug 20 (PTI) — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today said the government would investigate AIADMK chief Jayalalitha’s charge of "hefty bribes" paid for getting Enforcement Director M.K. Bezbaruah transferred if she provided proof as the BJP seemed bracing up for a "tough" line against its southern ally.

In his first public comments on the ongoing controversy, Mr Vajpayee said in Raipur that Ms Jayalalitha had not provided any proof of her charge that hefty bribes were paid by a media baron facing FERA violations to persons very close to the Prime Minister.

When told that she had indicated towards one person in this regard, Mr Vajpayee said: "If proof came forth the matter will be investigated."

"Let us wait and watch," the Prime Minister said to a question as to how long his relationship with Ms Jayalalitha would continue in the present situation.

He declined to comment on Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee’s demand for the ouster of the AIADMK from the ruling coalition in the wake of Ms Jayalalitha’s threats.

As top BJP leadership meets in Jaipur for a three-day national executive meeting from tomorrow, party sources indicated that it may take a "tough" line against Ms Jayalalitha amidst growing demand in the ruling coalition that the AIADMK be expelled.